In Nigeria, thousands of men are living with a disease the world has taught them to believe they cannot have. Male breast cancer, rare in the global north but accounting for up to fifteen percent of cases in sub-Saharan Africa, remains almost entirely absent from public health messaging—leaving men without the language, the permission, or the awareness to seek help until it is often too late. Medical experts are now calling for a fundamental rethinking of who breast cancer campaigns speak to, arguing that silence itself has become a clinical risk factor.
Male breast cancer: Nigeria's overlooked health crisis demands urgent awareness
Men with male breast cancer experience delayed diagnosis and higher mortality rates due to lack of awareness, with survival rates comparable to women only when caught at early stages.